7 Horror Movie Tricks Used To Scare You | Movies Insider

The most effective horror movies play on viewers' senses. From Alfred Hitchcock to M. Night Shyamalan, horror-film makers have always loved messing with our visual and auditory perception, using camera trickery, calculated shot composition, and immersive sound design to instill fear in their audiences. In this episode of "Movies Insider," we give a breakdown of some of their go-to techniques and explain what makes these classic horror devices so effective at crafting fear.
Find out why the dark voyeur perspective is such a staple of slasher flicks. See how horror directors use negative space to make shots feel "off" and how their use of shallow focus creates discomfort in audiences. Plus, learn about the special range of low-frequency sounds in horror-movie soundtracks, which are basically programmed to put our bodies on edge. Here's how movies trick you into being scared.
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7 Horror Movie Tricks Used To Scare You | Movies Insider

[@eddierubijr.1753]

The fact that Insider used a low frequency background music throughout the video.

[@anna.augustinova]

Right! I was on edge the whole time.

[@uncannyvalley2113]

i didn't even feel it, like i was pretty chill the whole time

[@uncannyvalley2113]

maybe i'm just used to being anxious lmao

[@theunraveler]

Really? I didnt feel anything

[@themanwhoknewtoomuch6667]

I also had a sudden urge to subscribe. Weird.

[@jaysbadatgaming]

Now I want to make a cheerful movie or show that uses all theses aspects, even though nothing happens.

[@ruvinuvi5672]

also a horror movie without any of these aspects

[@ibaxterrwoof]

Something that really scares me is when the murderer is in frame, in the corner or in a dark spot (possibly in a vignette) barely noticeable but just staring at you. You have to really look for it and when you see it, it’s looking right back at you, and always has. Those shots really scare me.

[@Aviatar1]

Hereditary :)

[@goregeous]

Oh I LOVE those little scares, just in a moment your heart just jumps and you're on edge it's super exciting

[@160p2GHz]

In the original (Hong Kong/Singaporean) version of The Eye there's a great combo of this and the "subliminal" flash. Where in an otherwise benign scene on a train (half empty car, person is just chatting with the other passenger at normal cadence, no build up, no scary sound), when it passes something and the lighting changes so you can see the internal reflection off the windows there's a creepy figure that appears briefly in the corner of one of the windows. Definitely one of those "you all just saw that right?" moments.

[@anushkaverma2203]

those are scarier than jump scares

[@theredeyes10489]

Halloween loves to do that

[@smileyfacewithsunglasses7613]

Negative space and Liminal space are what my worst nightmares are made of! The thought of what might be there lurking there is terrifying 😳

[@ckc9913studios]

It's why the Backrooms is so scary for some.

[@pr.yanshi]

Watching this at 3 am before going to sleep was not a good decision

[@yalijoel62]

Lol same

[@mrnguitui8490]

i'm watching at 11:59 pm

[@kanedaku]

I noped out of watching it at half three this morning, I now have watched it at a more reasonable 10pm.

[@ducksenjoyer9399]

Relatable

[@oxyhoangvu1]

Yup.

[@waithereivegonetogethelp3240]

I see how you put who owns the footage up there in the top left to avoid legal issues, but you should also put the name of the film there too for your viewers; that way when we see something that looks interesting we can go and find it. There are lots of clips in here I'd like to check out but don't know what they're from!

[@sweekley92]

Yep! All the negative space shots they showed had my heart racing.

[@walkawalka666]

The sequence in The Exorcist 3 where the nurse gets killed uses some of these techniques (plus a lack of music until the end) to great effect. I worked at a movie theater when the movie came out & I would sneak into the auditorium a few mins. before the sequence would start to see the audience reaction. Everyone jumped every time. I am not sure if it is as effective on the small screen.

[@nicks1451]

My all time favorite first-person killer perspective was in City of the Lost Children when the killer switches his vision with the victim so the victim has to watch himself die through his killer's perspective. Absolutely chilling.

[@abegarfield543]

It's a good scene and an incredible movie.

[@zydration3538]

You should check out Strange Days.

[@chromatic9998]

Horror movies dont scare me, good camera movements and a good story do.

[@ImaPizzaK]

lmao

[@feemak3804]

So a horror movie!!

[@jalcome4201]

Edgy

[@rgb2296]

What??

[@Chironseth1970]

Same here

[@kellymulligan2304]

Subliminal images? Anyone catch the shots of Tyler Durden in Fight Club before we even meet him? Because that was when the character was still being created in his head

[@Jospook_Nugspice]

Thank you for putting into words what I so often try to express when watching horror movies with friends! Cinematography is everything 😭

[@semoremo9548]

The one I hate the most is when the character is off to the side and there's tons of space left on the frame of just background, making you think that something is going to be or appear there. Worst thing is when they do that with creepy music and a tense vibe and then NOTHING HAPPENS. I'm guessing it's to keep you on edge and to make you relax only to throw the ghost in your face right after when you already don't expect it.

[@shannond7437]

Mike Flanagan has all of these down to new levels

[@ollieoxen426]

he’s literally the king of negative space

[@hungryblitz]

I love scary movies but I can never watch them without my friends or something lol

[@RandomUser00025]

Exactly what I thought, what kind of psycho watches horror movies alone !

[@mubasshiraal]

@@RandomUser00025 me 😑

[@kishenkoolskills90]

I watch it alone and it's not really scary, The only movie I got scared was The Exorcist bits of it and Insidious

[@nirhaber6149]

@@RandomUser00025 I do

[@kanedaku]

I keep a female next to me, that way I can blame any screams on her.

[@CaseyCartman]

I love this shot in jaws, where he stand up and the camera changes the angle.

[@Tyresaurus]

Was that girl about to be eaten was naked?

[@ShawnLH88]

What about when movies move the camera towards the subject while zooming out (pushes the background out) or move the camera away from the subject while zooming in (pulls the background in)?..?

[@RandomUser00025]

You mean Dolly zoom ?

[@GeniusZombie]

Yeah, they make us question reality around us by bending the background making the shots feel scary. This is usually known as Dolly Zoom, and done by increasing the angle of the field of view and zooming on the subject as so that he remains the same size.

[@yux]

@@GeniusZombie That’s vertigo stretching, they also mentioned this in this video

[@jordanodwyer6552]

I love dolly zoom shots! That and split diopter make a film for me!

[@GuitarandMusicInstitute]

Hi Shawn, if you watch the video, the technique you’re talking about is covered in detail. It is, however, two thirds of the way through and most seem to watch just 10% of content then click on another vid …

[@justinyoungbird9922]

Kudos for mentioning Irreversible. That movie pushes boundaries. Like art should.

[@eddvcr598]

I love these series! As an illustrator in motion design, I learn so much from these videos.

[@brennanpurcell9182]

The remake of the invisible man is the definition of using negative space in a menacing way

[@spideymatt93]

Thanks for showing off that Exorcist demon... I try to avoid it if possible... I hate that image and I refuse to get over it...

[@Goonie02]

The demon from excorsist has given me nightmares for so many years. I'm like Danny T. even today with my fingers covering my eyes.

[@kishenkoolskills90]

In the new Exorcist movie that's coming soon, I want to see more of the Demon, The mother of Regan is coming in the new Exorcist movie

[@Hushey]

really well put together. good job.

[@LokiDWolf-im7jg]

So much psychology! Simply amazing! Love it!

[@BlenderStudy]

Thank you for the update, Insider..!! I always wondered why that TV alien scene in Signs (2002) looked scary. @.@

[@ssam.miless]

irreversibles soundtrack, specifically Rectum, is the most ingenious use of music in a film. the music embodies fear so amazingly perfect it’s terrifying

[@ScientistCat]

I'm sorry Irreversible has a track titled *what* ?

[@profoundwanderer1441]

I swear 10 years ago, I couldn't stop thinking about subtle horror ideas for movies. Especially revisiting what made "The Shining" so great.. Symmetry and subtleness. Or movies where something is happening in the background, but it's hard to make out.. Even if it's just like 10 frames.. 😳 Japanese horror movies had this down for a long time. I watched "The Eye" when I was like 9.. and the bloody toe drag of the ghost, and hardly any tell. 🙌

[@castroelishajanellem.2490]

I still wonder why I'm watching this even though I know I won't be able to sleep

[@bearnaff9387]

The Ring: In actual prints of the movie on film, the "Cigarette burns", which are flashing icons placed in the upper-right corner of the image to indicate to the projectionist that they need to start the next reel of the film, are the same "ring" logo that replaces the moon in the Dreamworks logo at the beginning of the film. At least, they were in the version of the film I saw - who knows if _that_ was universal or if it was just something done for press/promo reels of the film.

[@zakosist]

2:08 I did actually see it clearly, wouldn't even think it was hidden. 3:07 there I actually didn't see what it was. Anyway, most of the things on this list I'm not sure I would even notice (even subconsciously in a way that makes me creeped out) while actually watching the movie. I dont feel like the angle of a picture changes the feeling that much (except the ones from 8:22). But its interesting to learn about.

[@DeaDlyAsFMJ]

Most of these aren't really "tricks used in horror movies" but just basic filming in general to be fair :P They just overanalyze it here to make it fit the video... Kind of sad, I was hoping for actual tricks

[@sapling6536]

@@DeaDlyAsFMJwhat were you expecting then? They’re techniques used to make people feel a certain way and just because you didn’t experience it doesn’t mean other people don’t

[@meu02136]

I did notice the movie trick of adr at 4:10 though

[@TrangleC]

Not sure whether I should even watch this video. I noticed that the more I learn about "how the sausage is made", the less I enjoy horror movies. I used to be able to get genuinely creeped out by a good horror movie, but since I learned a lot about the behind the scenes stuff from internet videos, I don't really get much out of them anymore. For example, when I see one of those "creepy ghost girl" monsters in a movie now, all I see is a young actress in white makeup, standing at the catering table, eating a bagel, while being chatted up by some lanky camera grip in a Iron Maiden t-shirt.

[@Nsodnoajdjksl]

Moral of your comment: Never learn about sausages.

[@anemoinsanity8208]

Actually movies aren’t the only things that use these tactics. In the game Genshin Impact right after the main character frees Divalin they bring the Holy Lyre de Himmel back to the cathedral but it is broken because of the first attempt to bring Divalin back to his senses. After Venti repairs it he admits that it was just an illusion and tells everyone to leave then running of and the adventurer and Paimon following. After they exit the cathedral cold wind starts to blow blowing Piamon away,knocking over the adventurer and freezing Venti in place. Then a couple of Hilichurls appear as well as a Fatui hardbringer. She walks over to Venti and steals his Gnosis causing him to loose strength (at least that’s what it looks like). She then causes the adventurer to fall unconscious as well leaving little to no evidence of what happened. The trick that is used here is suspense but not in the way you would think of it. The type of suspense used here is the type that gives the impression of no more problems but then adds a new obstacle. Put to fit the storyline, after Divalin is brought to his senses it will make it seem like you can relax for sometime but then adds the Fatui problem and Venti loosing his Gnosis.

[@thisispero8106]

The shower scene from Psycho is immortal😤

[@vino-k5650]

Very good information for illustrators ngl

[@KathyJeanActress]

Insightful.

[@tendrylknyte8391]

Bringing up scenes of the ocean like that is digging up some unwanted feelings

[@reynaldobn2527]

So interesting! 😮

[@krainanimates3256]

Plot twist: this video is used to scare you

[@bibhuranjandutta470]

Very informative

[@hi_im_redbeard]

Great video, is it possible to add the movie names for each clip every time it cuts? Like how you have the studio name up the top.

[@tp5401]

I hate horror movies but I can appreciate the craft to make it effective. Interesting video. My wife's a photographer and a lot of the concepts carry over.

[@bunnybunny4263]

The Shining n Psycho my favorite movies of all time.

[@oonooooooooo]

the THC intro is far scarier

[@halesm5720]

Hey hollywood, notice how none of these ways were jumpscares? They're not scary just startling. Stop it!

[@arfansthename]

"They're not scary, just startling" Ah yes, because that's not how jumpscares work

[@Nsodnoajdjksl]

Hollywood: **makes 1960 psycho** Hales M: Perhaps I treated you too harsh

[@cringegod5415]

Horror movies would be much less scary without jump scares

[@robintangsimbolon7012]

Say that to Stanley Kubrick

[@zakosist]

I feel like the scariest thing is the gore

[@cringegod5415]

@@zakosist yeah that plays a big role too

[@schisandra]

Turning off the sound makes them less scary, too

[@joewas2225]

100% bullshit. You don't need jump scares. Hellraiser 1 & 2, The Babadook, A Quiet Place & several others prove it.

[@rupjyoti9]

If you listen carefully this video has lots of hidden things

[@pedroesteves3018]

excelent video

[@CapaSlapa]

Not necessarily a scare trick but when I was younger, I had a chance to learn how to do a type of scary girl scene walking down some stairs. My instructor told me to walk up the stairs backwards ( I thought I was gonna fall the entire time) she told me that she will reverse the footage and it’ll look like a corpse trying to walk again, saw it back and I can honestly say I freaked myself out 😅

[@patheally]

My opinion is, horror movies of late are relying too much on these effects rather than producing quality horror movies. The shining was a great and, more or less, believable horror movie about a psychotic father that was trying to kill his family. Only after a stellar plot was generated, however, did Kubrick employ all the other film tactics to create horror. The problem is, directors are using film techniques like an addict uses heroin rather than creating genuinely scary plots. Think about the movie The Exorcist III. The scene with the nurse is terrifying without using a lot of the typical techniques described here. But you can't just do a scene like that out of context to the rest of the movie. It won't work. The overall pace of the film and style of acting is what allowed the director to created that scene. That scene is really scary but the rest of the movie is great too. It seems today's horror movies entirely suck without even one memorable or frightening scene to speak of.

[@ethompson4081]

I 100% understand where you're coming from, but Kubrick didn't really do anything but embellish with these effects on something he hadn't created. The visions, the tidal wave of blood, the bodies, and particularly the changing patterns really brought together the image of King's Shining in a way that he wanted to portray. It's just cheesy enough today that the classic horror isn't so much what gets you, but rather the tension he builds with blink-and-you'll-miss-it scenery changes and the like.

[@ethompson4081]

I think that, because we believe we've "seen it all," movies like Get Out and Us are important because they bring a different kind of psychological aspects to the table.

[@that.one.aussie]

Tysm!

[@variants_inferno]

3:23 so The Ring was gaslighting me way before any of my friends ever did

[@xolaxander]

Get well Logan. And thank you for the sacrifices you’re making to give us entertaining content. Get well soon.🙏🏾

[@phoenixanimatics5223]

Loud sounds always scare me lol

[@0Lalizinha0]

That's so very interesting

[@invisiblecurious856]

Those scary face at exorcist still haunts you though

[@snowyskys8505]

Imagine acting for these horror movies and then having to watch them later, man I’ll be so scared I’ll feel like if it’s real

[@Quert_Zuiopue]

Many parts of the ambient sound of the game stalker consists of sub bass sounds.

[@lancetimothy2739]

Fun fact : ìn this scene 3:33 the actrees actually called the 911 three times

[@opinionsfromfil1840]

This still scare us!

[@jordanodwyer6552]

Good job! I am absolutely terrified!

[@JohannesLabusch]

Pretty good summary. Yet, time and again, the makers claim that the visual or auditory techniques they discuss have a certain effect, which would not be the case without what actually happens in the scenes. People wouldn't have fainted or left during "Irreversible" solely because of some sub bass audio of a subway train. There was an extended horrific rape scene happening in that film, which traumatized audiences, and would have done so if there was no rumbling on the soundtrack. These tricks are not the meal, they're spices.

[@Imagine_Retro]

Irreversible was pretty good

[@anniebunny722]

The voyeur shot perspective was used as foreshadowing in Se7en!

[@ytyt2245]

aww my hearing is messed up, i could barely hear the low level sounds LOL

[@zakosist]

Me neither (or I'm not sure), but I have a noisy fridge, and both wasn't listening that deeply or had my volume high

[@Saurles]

One movie that had me on the edge of my seat, which was not a horror movie, was "The Fugitive"

[@dashaazhar6517]

Omg now I won't be able to sleep..

[@hanoman78]

Its midnight and i cant sleep plus there's a black out in my housing complex..Dark, quite, and No fan n ac makes it hot.. WHY AM I WATCHING THIS?!? 😬

[@iamarizonaball2642]

I want to make a horror movie that looks similar to “Liminal space”

[@mikealalee2889]

People who try to spread conspiracy and fear based knowledge use these methods to.

[@soodanimdraws357]

It’s *too, and stop bringing your bugbears into discussions like this.

[@rezrezas]

Im here before this video get recommended to everyone

[@Sakura-cho123]

Why did i have butterflys in my stomach while watching this-

[@Searchingtheworld7183]

The ways of making the horror.

[@BillyJeff]

Watching this at 2am... Now I can't sleep

[@jimmerhardy]

Anyone notice how abnormally narrow the recreated Overlook corridors are in Doctor Sleep?

[@ashtonmcfarlane481]

i think that’s showing the hotel consuming doc

[@jimmerhardy]

@@ashtonmcfarlane481 It was something that looked odd to me, not authentic.

[@MaloryGrimes-em1rg]

0:53 It's like 3:00 AM right now I think someone was knocking on my door or something Because I was listening to that part then almost had a Heart attack💀💀

[@austinhernandez2716]

"experiencing sound waves as vibrations" Yeah, because that's what sound is... All sound is like that

[@EricGentile]

I noticed some of the scenes had symmetrical patterns...Is that part of it?

[@babe3736]

Now I'm immune to it

[@jeraldobasha]

Thank you

[@barbarianninj0102]

There's only one creepy scene in "Enemy" and it's not on the bus.

[@technofeeliak]

"The Love Witch".

[@NWednesdayQuansah]

I had to turn the lights on in my room during this video 😅😅😅

[@kiillabytez]

Finally, someone who understands that Jump Scares aren't scary. They should really be renamed to Jump Startles if I'm being honest.

[@deepwaterrehab7685]

I don’t think the sub-bass sounds are the reason people fainted during Irreversible 😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬 A whole video could be made about that one scene. Truly horrific.

[@SiddharthPandey2452]

Thanks

[@Wellch]

Music…long silence….am I ok now?…..then the scary noise.

[@QuakerRaze]

Nice.

[@mineplayer05yt4]

it that waltuh 😂

[@sunshine_tidings6983]

To be fair that first 30 minutes of Irreversible could make you faint on mute

[@stephyfra1243]

This video is too scary.

[@chijoyphillip2784]

Why does watching this feel a lil bit scary?

[@Catseye189]

Jump scares

[@soupy55]

Fuckin LOVE liminal spaces

[@purplementhol3388]

I watch this before I shower this evening, so that I could learn to have less scared anxiety. I dislike horrors because I near with horrors in my own life, reality. Not every indigo is brave, me is perfect example here.

[@laylaj.9713]

Trigger warning for the low/high frequencey sound please.

[@mortal_corpse]

Cool

[@zestykumquat655]

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME! WHO IS THE ACTRESS THAT IS AT 3:53 I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR 3 HOURS! PLEASE

[@seawar4955]

This is the last you want to watch at 3am

[@HarryAdee]

I'm not scare of horror movies. Watching the technics in making it scares me. Thats weird.